Pessary.



B. F. OVERTON.

P ESSARY. (Application med nu. 224, 19o2.)

(lo Model.)

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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OVERTON, OF OMEN, TEXAS.

PESSARY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,285, dated J' uly 22, 1902.

Y Application filed January 24, 1902. Serial No. 91,109.' A(No n1odel) v T0 all whom it Infty concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OVERTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omen, in the county 0f Smith and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Pessary, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to'certain improvements in intra-uterine pessaries of that class employed for the local application of a Inedicament for healing purposes, and has for its object to provide a simple device of the class which may readily be placed in positionvor removed without injury to the'uterus and which will be support-ed in position by the uterus, so thatY the medicament will at all times be held in proper position-against diseased portions of the os uteri.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which may be employed as a dilator for a variety of purposes.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of a pessary constructedin accordance with my invention, illustrating the intrauterine portion in contracted position and showing the introducing device in position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the introducer being removed and the intra-uterine portion in expanded position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the pessary.

f Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The stem of the device, or that portion designed to fit within the uterus, is made in two sections 5 6, which when expanded serve to securely hold the device in position. The section or member 5 is hollow, and` its lower neck portion is secured to or formed integral with a metallic cup 7, in which a suitable medicament may be placed.A

8 designates a ring or disk of rubber 0r some similar yielding material held to the cup 7 by a metallic cup-shaped disk 10, the central portion of which has a suitable opening for the passage of the lower tubular portion of the-section 5, and toy which it may be riveted or otherwise secu red. The soft-rubber disk S makes contact with the vaginal membrane during the introduction and removal of thepesskary and prevents injury from contact with themetallic cup. The neck p0rtion l1 of the member 8 extends completely around the stem and at the open side of the member 8 is of short vertical height, forming a bearing or supportforashoulderl2, formed on the member 6, the latter being adapted for rocking movement on the support to contact or expand the stem, the normal position being that shown in Fig. 2, where the sections are shown as spread under the iniiuence 0f a spring 14. Within the lower portion of the neck 11 the members 5 6 are each provid-ed with a half-nut, (designated 15 and 16,) respectively, these normally being held toward each other by the spring, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the device is to be inserted in the os uteri, an introducer 17 is employed. This device comprises a rod of sufficient length for the purpose, said rod having a threaded portion 18, adapted to engage in the halfnuts 15 and 16 and being provided with a conical end 19, which may be inserted between the half-nuts to facilitate the introduction of thethreaded portion. When the introducing-rod is screwed into place, the members 5 and 6 will be drawn toward each other against the iniiuence of the spring 14, the stem being contracted to a degree sufficient to permit its ready introduction into the mouth of the uterus, the rubber disk preventing injury to the vaginal membrane during the operation. When the stem is fully inserted, the rod 17 is unscrewed from the half-nuts and removed. The spring gradually presses the member 6 against the inner wall of the uterus, the pressure exerted being sufficient to partly dilate the uterus and firmly hold the device in position. the rod 17 is inserted between the half-nuts and serves to contract'the stem to an extent sufficient to permitits removal.

The device may befemployed for a number of purposes and is of particularvaiue as a dilator for the relief of painful menstruation. Owing to its lightness and the ease with which it is introduced and supported in place it is of great value in the application of medica- In removing the pessaryV IOO ments to the uterus without danger of their being moved from place, as is the case where the vaginal walls are relied upon for support. The medicament is placed in the cup in which the os uteri rests and is retained in proper position under normal conditions.

In order to permit the passage of uterine discharges, one or both of the sections 5 6 may be provided with an opening, as indicated at 20.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An intra-uterine pessary comprising a cup-shaped member,a stem carrying said cupshaped member and adapted to engage the inner walls of the uterus, said stem comprising a plurality of separate members; and an auxiliary spring having an inherent tendency to spread said members.

2. A pessary-support comprising two members arranged one partially Within the other and a spring tending to separate said meinbers.

3. Apessary comprisingacup-shaped member, a sectional stem one member of which is secured to the cup and the second member being arranged partly within the rst, and a spring tending to separate said members.

4. An intra-uterine pessary comprising a metallic cup adapted to receive the 0s uteri,

an expansible stem carrying said cup, a lower concaved disk and a yielding ring carried between the cup and disk and extending beyond the periphery thereof to protect the vaginal` walls from contact with said cup.

5. Apessarycomprisingacup-shapedmember, an intra-uterine member secured thereto, a second movable intra-uterine member, a spring tending to separate said intra-uterine members and press the same into contact with the inner walls of the uterus, half-nuts carried by each of said members and an introducing-rod having a threaded portion to engage said half-nuts and thereby draw said members toward each other.

G. A pessary comprising a cup-shaped portion, a sectional stem one member of which is secured to the cup and the second member being arranged partly within the first, a sprin g tending to separate said members, and an introducingrod adapted to engage with and contract said members against the spreading action of the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OVERTON.

NVitnesses:

G. II. I'IALL, R. O. COLLIER. 

